A Graduation!

I almost forgot to mention, with all the recent events, that a very important milestone has been achieved by our grandson, Chase. He graduated from High School! It is official. Here is a picture of him in his post-high school state. No more seminary either! He is busy finishing up his Scout Eagle Project and then he will be ready for whatever future he wants to create. His Eagle Project involved collecting money and goods for the Family House, in San Francisco, where Dorothy and Carmen stayed, for free, during her cancer treatments. It is a wonderful way to pay them back for the service they give to so many families struggling with disease. I am so thrilled with, and grateful for, this bright, good-hearted grandson!

Keeping a Promise

We had to talk Mom into coming home with us last October. We promised her that if she would spend the winter with us in California, we would take her home to Colorado for the summer. Our promise should have been fulfilled before now, but she broke her hip, which put off the move. After spending almost a week with her at our home, we packed up and drove her home to Colorado, using her red Envoy to transport us. Mom sat in the front seat with Layne and I was relegated to the back seat. We started out early on last Friday morning and drove to Reno, where we lunched with one of our Mongolian daughters, Bayaraa, and her husband Ryan Hopkins, and their two little sons. It was a sweet pleasure to see one of our girls so happy!

We arrived in Salt Lake late Friday night and went to son Gerald's home in Draper to spend the night. Gerald and his wife Frances have two homes in Draper. One is rented out but the other is empty; fully stocked and saved for their visits to the States. Right now no one is there, so we enjoyed a large, empty but fully stocked home for the night. It was way better than a motel! Except that we had to maneuver mom up several stairs in her wheel-chair. That took some doing but we managed it. The accompanying picture shows Mom in her car, in Gerald's garage. She looks pretty good for 11:00 at night, don't you think?

What I must say about Gerald and Frances' home is that they have an amazing "theater" room in the basement. It was created for them by a very artistic contractor who wanted to practice his art before offering it to the general public. So they got a deal on the project. In the accompanying picture you can see the front of the room, where a projection TV will focus it's images on a screen, lowered over the scene you see here. The whole room is like a step into the red rock country, complete with a tree in one corner. He created it all out of concrete. Wow! I've never seen anything like it, especially in a home. Wouldn't it be fun to create something like that in your home space? I'm thinking about that.

On Saturday, after a brief visit with my sister Maryanne and her husband Bob, we drove to Cedaredge, arriving in the afternoon. Walking into her home felt so natural; like we were gone only to the store or on a short drive. Her place has never looked better. It is clean and straight, and the yard is beautiful. There is a special feeling about this place. I'm sure it has nothing to do with my own sentiments. It is a nurturing place. I'm happy to be here. Layne and Mom are too! And so, at last, our promise is kept. We are home.

Catching Up

Sometimes things happen so quickly that one must pause for awhile to catch up. A week ago our daughter Jessica (to be distinguished from our daughter-in-law Jessica) came for the weekend, bringing her daughter Gemma with her. I would love to say that she missed me so much that she simply had to come. But, actually, she came to attend the wedding of a dear friend. But I rather think she wanted to see us too! It is always wonderful to have family with me once again. To add to that pleasure, there was a full moon that weekend. I have a thing about full moons. They must be basked in. So we took pictures outside under the moon and I kissed Layne under the moon as well. That is a tradition with me; I must kiss him at each full moon. Oh, and I kiss him other times as well! In the picture here, Gemma is standing on our front porch with the moon behind her. Lovely, isn't it?

Daughter-in-law Jessica and kids came to visit daughter Jessica during that weekend. After their chat, we took a 4 generation picture of Jessica (mine), Gemma, me and Mom. Also included is a picture of Jacqueline and Lexie with Mom. It was fun to be all together for a short time.

I almost forgot to mention that I brought Mom home from the nursing home on Friday of last week, just before Jessica came! She and I agree that the workers at that place are universally fine. They took very good care of her and did their best to offer her the therapy she needed. But she has returned home in much weaker shape. Of course, she broke her hip and that explains that. She is now afraid to use that side. But we are working on that. I exercised her right up until this past Friday, when we brought her home to Colorado. But that is a different story, which I will tell in the very next post.

Remember

I fear that we are forgetting the meanings of our holidays. It is so easy to take the free time and do something fun with it. But I was determined to share the meaning of Memorial Day with our local family, especially the grandchildren. So on that special Monday, we drove to Antioch to visit Carmen's grave and place rose petals on it. The cemetery was filled with flags on every veteran's grave! Flowers were everywhere! It was such a sight. Our little Carmen is in good company. We will always Remember Carmen and my hope is that we will always Remember those who have served and left us!

We celebrated Memorial Day later in the day with all the local families. I wanted it to be special so I prepared a slide show for the kids that showed them all the major wars American soldiers have fought, from the Revolutionary War to the present, in pictures. We included the story of TAPS and had Scotty play it for us on his trumpet. Allegra made paper poppies for each family, to memorialize Flander's Field. We sang patriotic songs, accompanied by James on his recorder. Many of the kids played the piano for us. You see their pictures here. I believe the kids got the message. I wish I had included a statement that I found later, on sacrifice. It went something like this: there are only two who were willing to give their lives for you and me, Christ to save our spiritual lives and the American soldier to save our physical lives. I want to always Remember!

Reed's wife, Dorothy, lost her stepfather, Ken Combs, who died last week. He was a good-hearted man who died prematurely from various health problems. He is pictured here. We attended his memorial this past week. He is another who deserves to be Remembered.

Pictured left, top down are Jacqueline, Alexis, and James. On the right, top down is Zachary and Scott. Carmen's grave is also pictured and to the left is Ken Combs.

"Hey, Can Somebody Help Me Please?"

Mom has been in the nursing home for over a month now. She's not happy about it. She is getting regular physical therapy and the staff are all quite fine people who care for her in the kindest way. But it is a nursing home and Mom just isn't into it. I don't blame her! We are working to get her home as soon as we can but getting over the hip fracture takes time. There is a man across the hall from her that serenades us every night with the same song, "hey can anybody help me please?" It has become an almost enjoyable experience to listen to his plea, repeated over and over again. It isn't that help is not forthcoming; it is simply that it isnt' what he has in mind. He says what Mom feels. She would like some magical help that would get her home and back to normal. I feel badly that it cannot happen as she wishes it. I'm also thinking that there is a purpose in her convalescence. We are becomming quite close and there is joy in serving her.

Over the past few week there are more that need help. Two of my good friends are both quite ill at the moment. "Can somebody help me please," rings in my ears. I want to help them but am not sure how. I think, for starters, I will give myself to them and see where I am led from there. For the next few weeks that we are here, I will spend time with them. Then, sometime soon, we will head back to Colorado to return Mom home for the summer. At least that is our plan for now.

The green hills of winter are gone now. So quickly, our hills have dried out and we are left with "California Golden". Our front yard is looking hopeful, with some new plants making every effort to live. I've planted California poppies all around and they are coming up in abundance. I love looking out on their perky orange blossoms. They seem to like it here.

Bonding

We've had a rainstorm recently but, in spite of that, our hills are now brown. I loved the green of winter but, alas, the dryness of summer is already upon us. Still, brown has its beauties.

I was missing the association of close friends when we lived in Fremont. Most of the dearest ones to me had moved away. But now that we are in the Pleasanton area I'm amazed at how many friendships have come my way. It is not just that there are more women my age in our ward here; or that one of them is an old college roommate. It is more. Old friendships seem to be cropping up everywhere. Many of my friends from high school, and even elementary school live nearby! Who knew?! On Saturday I attended yet another luncheon with girls from my school days. I hate to admit that we are a bunch of old birds now, but I see the girls I knew, and enjoy their company very much. In the attached picture some of the girls at the lunch sit, ready to perform "Dooley's Amateur Hour" when we were all in Girl Scouts together in the fifties. I'm in the cowboy hat. How the time flies by!

Cliff and I gave a presentation on the many uses of whole wheat on Thursday evening. It was fun to reacquaint myself with some of the recipes that worked so well, when I was heavy into the use of whole wheat. I made some whole wheat bread for this presentation that turned out very nicely. So I'm enclosing the recipe here, in case you'd like to try it.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD (makes 2 loaves)

1 3/4 cups milk (I used warm water and powdered milk, added with the flour)
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup warm water
1/3 cup honey
2 eggs
2 tablespoons yeast
5-6 cups whole wheat flour

Combine first 6 ingredients, then add yeast. Mix well. Add flour to cake dough consistency. Let stand 15 minutes. Add rest of flour and knead. Let rise in oiled bowl about 45 minutes minimum. Mold into leaves and rise again. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Don't preheat oven. Remove from pans right away and cool on rack.

I'm grateful for friends, especially this week. We had a great bond with our neighbors, Bev and Ernie Trutner. We seem to fit very nicely together. There seems to be potential friends everywhere in this area. I love that.

Mother's Day

Lately I've been pondering the tremendous advantage of good associations. From the very beginning of my life, the people in it have nurtured and cared for me. It began with good, caring parents. But even my extended family members, with all their weaknesses, were good to me and the other children in our family circle. I grew up in a loving place. My adulthood has been blessed also. There has been no one who has caused me any lasting heartache or serious pain. That sweet situation has freed me to think beyond myself. It has made my world a good place and placed in my heart a strong sense of gratitude. Blessings are easy to count.

Here is a Mother's Day four generation picture. Shown is my mother with me, daughter Audrey and granddaughter Allegra. Mom was with us for Mom's Day. It was good to have her home after so long a time in the Convalescent Home. She returned the same day, but, for a little while, we were all together. She is an amazing person, filled with strength and wisdom. It is a joy to care for her in her time of need. She misses her independence a great deal but seems to be able to make the most of a hard situation. She is usually determined to improve and regain her strength, but is sometimes just tired, and a bit discouraged. We are doing our best to keep her spirits up by visiting her each morning and night. So, at this time of honoring mothers, I honor my own and thank the Lord for the noble woman I call Mother.